1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that transmits data to an image forming apparatus, an image processing system including the image processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus, and a computer program product for the image processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
To transmit data from an image processing apparatus such as a movable computer to an image forming apparatus such as a printer and output the data from the image forming apparatus, it is necessary both to connect the information processing apparatus and the image forming apparatus to each other by wired or wireless communications and to install a driver module for the image forming apparatus in the image processing apparatus. The driver module can be stored in a recording medium readable by the information processing apparatus such as a compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM). Alternatively, the driver module can be uploaded to a given website, and downloaded from the website to the information processing apparatus via a network.
In some companies, movable computers within the office are connected to an image forming apparatus via a network such as a local area network (LAN). A user can print desired data out from the image forming apparatus by manipulating one of the movable computers. Moreover, in a system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-268845, a host device and a peripheral device are connected to each other via a wireless universal serial bus (USB) instead of a cable or a network. To make such system workable, it is necessary for the user to install the driver module for the image forming apparatus or the driver module for the peripheral device in the movable computer or the host device in advance or immediately before the user uses the movable computers or the host device.
For example, a person who is not a member of the company comes to the office for a meeting with his movable computer. His movable computer is not allowed to be connected to the office LAN because of security. As a result, he cannot print required data.
If the driver module for the image forming apparatus is installed in his movable computer, his movable computer can be connected to the image forming apparatus by a wired or wireless USB. This, however, requires a manual process for installing the driver module in his movable computer. Moreover, the recording media stored therein the driver module are required as many as computers from outside, which brings additional workloads for preparing and keeping the recording media. Nevertheless, his computer may not be ready when he wishes to print the desired data out because the manual process takes a while.